6 SIMPLE STEPS TO CREATE YOUR YOGA LOGO

What’s the best way to create your yoga logo? Authenticity.

Yoga teacher Taryn Bond shares how she created her own yoga brand using these six simple steps.

When I was first starting out as a yoga teacher, the question, “What should my logo look like?” terrified me. We all know a teacher whose yoga logo is so omnipresent on their online platforms, media, etc., that their logo is pretty much synonymous with their name.

Shift the focus and ask yourself what you want your yoga logo to look like, and the options can seem overwhelming.

What colours would I like for my yoga logo?

What’s my font?

Do I go by a nickname?

Do I really go by a nickname?

… The list goes on!

It can be both thrilling and slightly intimidating to think that all of the work we do as a teacher, as a business person, and beyond can be defined by a single symbol, icon, and maybe some text.

The good news is that the process doesn’t have to feel like rocket science, and in just a few short weeks, or even days, your yoga logo can be the simple trademark by which future students and clients recognise you online.

Think about it this way. Your yoga logo shows the world what your brand is. And your brand, is you – what you have to say, share, and offer as a yoga teacher.

Your logo will become the familiar symbol that a client sees and connects with emotionally, whether it appears at the end of your email, on your website, or in your social media.

Essentially, a well-designed and well-fitting logo can give your students what we all came into the practice seeking:a sense of home, stability, and trust.

The right logo will give them that feeling of familiarity and comfort, and it can be a powerful impetus for them to sign up for your future retreats and workshops!

When you decide to take the next step marketing yourself as a yoga teacher, remember that your logo essentially serves as your “permanent outfit”.

So how do you want to show up for your students?

1. Start with Svadyaya (self-study). Who are You as a Teacher?

We’ve established the importance of having a good yoga logo. So how do we hone in on what we would like our logo to be?

Start with Svadyaya (AKA “self-study” of the Yoga Sutra’s Niyamas). Ask yourself who you are as a teacher by answering three questions:

1. What are three words that describe me as a teacher?

2. What do I want to give the world in my teachings?

3. What is one physical element that particularly defines me? (Think of a colour you’re drawn to, a symbol or shape you love, or a certain font that makes you feel the most “you”.)

It is important to discover your niche as a teacher so that you can most effectively find and serve your target student.

Once you have gained clarity on the essence of your beautiful business, you are ready to begin shaping your graphic.

2. Still not sure? Dive deeper.

Below are a few more questions and journal prompts that can help you get closer to the essence of your unique brand.

1. What are three words that my close friends and family would use to describe me? (Don’t be shy – ask them!)

2. What is the goal of my business—short-term and long-term?

3. Who will see my logo?

4. In one word, how do I want my clients to see me?

5. What makes me feel the most like myself?

If you’re still struggling to gain clarity on your yoga logo, sit down with a pen and your journal. Give yourself 30 minutes to an hour, with no distractions, to fully think through these questions.

Be authentic: once you know you, your message will become so much easier to share with the world through your logo!

3. Got Some Ideas? Think About Shape and Color Scheme.

What is your shape?

Now that you have a better idea of the simple, quick, stylistic message that you want to share with your potential students, let’s transform it into a specific idea.

Ask yourself: What is your shape?

A good way to start diving into your logo shape is to look at examples. Think of successful yoga teachers or studios that you know of. Take time to look at their logos. Search the internet for all different types of logos. Keep these in mind, and make note of what you like and don’t like.

The lotus flower is a popular and familiar symbol within the yoga world. Although it’s widely used, it’s a great shape to help define your logo because it’s aesthetically pleasing, catches the eye, fits simply in a small space, andprovides much of the population with an instant association with yoga.

Once you’ve looked at examples, you’ll notice that some teachers and studios have creatively used their logo to play on their name or on element that’s associated with yoga.

Consider whether your name/brand name has anything fun, catchy, or different that you can play off of. For example: if your business were named Root Down Yoga, your logo might include an image of a tree with its roots connecting into the Earth.

Personally, I created my logo with the image of a sunflower as my graphic. I did this because my main photo shoot when I was launching my brand was done in a sunflower field on Maui, Hawai’i, and these photos comprise the majority of my visual content to this day. I also have a sunflower tattoo on my arm, because sunflowers are my favourite flower and have significant meaning in my life.

Do you want a color scheme, mono-chrome, or greyscale?

This question comes back to the three words that you chose to describe yourself as a yoga teacher. Ask yourself what (if any) colour scheme will fit well with your description.

If your yoga business is about children’s yoga, for example, you might want to use an array of bright, elementary colours. Perhaps your scheme is red, yellow, and blue.

If your yoga business is focused on helping people in the workforce, however, like corporate or stress-relief yoga, maybe you would want to choose a clean-cut, greyscale logo, to inspire a feeling of slowing down and de-stressing, while also maintaining an air of professionalism around your business and your relationship with your clients.

While these two examples are extreme and opposite approaches, the core concept is the same: your use of colours in your logo should be completely aligned with the message that you’ve built – and are building every day – as a yoga teacher.

If you do decide to go with a colour scheme, choosing your colours once again calls back to who you are.

What colors make you smile? Is there a certain color that you are drawn towards or like wearing when you teach? Is there a certain stone that you prefer to wear or use in your personal practice (like amethyst or rose quartz)?

Think about your website, too.

What color is your online theme? Do you want to match, compliment, or re-design this scheme?

Ultimately, you are the one who will be seeing your logo most often. Find a color scheme that speaks to you as both a person and as a teacher and integrate that into your design.

4. The Actualization: Should You Find a Designer or DIY-It?

Now it’s time to bring your design into fruition. You’ve done the hard work of self-reflection, researched logo examples, and dreamt up the visual elements of your logo.

When it comes to creating your logo, how do you know whether to create your own logo or seek out a designer to help you?

This again comes back to you.

If you have a basic idea of what you want, but are struggling to connect the dots or crystallize the image of your logo in your head, it may be wise to seek out a graphic designer.

There are tons of online sites to help you connect with a graphic designer with a simple search. If you do choose to seek out a graphic designer to help you create your logo, spend time choosing a cost-effective plan with a designer who creates quality work that you are impressed with.

Ask yourself if you’d be proud to be represented by one of their logos.

If you’re happy with your choice of designer, feel free to share with them your basic outline you came up with, whether that’s on paper or in your head. Tell them your ideas, likes and dislikes, preferences for color and shape, and any adjectives or message points you want to share with your clients.

This will help them create the most effective and beautiful logo to match who you are.

Is your design so clearly set in your head that you could draw it out on a piece of paper right now?

Then it’s time to get working! Even if you are not a “graphic designer”, there are plenty of resources out there to help you create your most beautiful logo at an affordable price, and then transfer this to any other site that you please.

5. Create your yoga logo

Once you have your logo, be sure to get multiple versions of it so that you always have what you need for future use.

I recommend getting one copy of your logo with a transparent background, one with a white background, one with just your font (if you choose to include words), and one with just your graphic, minus any writing.

In addition, you want to ask for your logo in a range of design formats to accommodate any logo usage you’ll require in the future (for t-shirts, stickers, business cards and more). An experienced designers will typically provide you with logo version in formats including Adobe Illustrator (.ai) file, editable PDF file (.pdf), PNG file (.png) and JPG File. Keep all of your logo stuff in a folder of it’ own, to stay organized and efficient.

This way, you always have what you need when you go to use your logo in the future!

6. Where Should You Put Your Logo?

Congratulations! Your logo is complete, and it’s all yours.

Your logo is your mini representation of your brand, your message, and you as a yoga teacher.

Your logo can go anywhere that you sign your name! This may include:

At the bottom of your email signature

On your website

On your business card

On the navigation tab of your site

The sky is the limit!

When placing your logo, it is also important to be aware of overuse. “Overkill branding” can leave a bad taste in your students’ mouths—they may feel over-marketed to, or simply tired of seeing your image everywhere!

Let your logo be organic, and let it flow with your business.

Set it up to automatically be attached to your email responses, and print it on your business cards. If you do group events, you could even print stickers with your logo on it to hand out to your students!

Once your logo is organically placed into your content, you are good to go!

In Summary…

Here are the six steps to create your best logo:

Start with Svadyaya. Discover who you are as a yoga teacher.

Dive deeper. Identify three words that describe you, what you want to offer the world through your teachings, and what physical element best describes you.

Find your shape and color scheme.

Decide whether you want a graphic designer to create your logo or whether you want to create your own.

Create your logo!

Place your logo in your email signature, business cards, and any other visible places. (Remember not to “over-brand” – AKA, use your logo too frequently!)

Creating your logo is the next big step in creating a successful, recognizable, and well-branded online yoga business.

Follow the simple steps listed above and you’ll find yourself with a logo that represents you and your message to both your current and future students.

Congratulations on taking the leap and creating your beautiful new yoga logo!

Guest Writer: Taryn Bond
6 SIMPLE STEPS TO CREATE YOUR YOGA LOGO

Taryn is a yoga instructor in Honolulu, HI. She’s also an avid traveler and recently launched her online yoga mentorship program to spread the message of ‘Living Your Yoga’ far and wide. See more here: https://www.flowswitht.com/yoga-mentorship